The State of Science Education in the U.S.

In the beginning of the 21st century we are at a critical juncture in both teacher and science education.  Teacher quality is one of the foremost concerns across the country, yet resources are limited and standards inconsistent.  Schools are struggling to recruit and maintain high quality teachers, while training programs are unable to keep up with the demand.

As the chart below shows, only 16% of teachers actually majored in science.

While much attention is being paid these days to mathematics and language arts, there does not seem to be a uniform vision for science education in the U.S.  In addition, funding for science education has been reduced in many states, making it difficult for districts and schools to maintain quality programs.  Little time is available for teachers to be creative about keeping science alive by making it more inquiry based and by integrating it into other study areas, including language arts and mathematics.